KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

What this award covers

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - PURPOSE: KANSAS AIMS TO EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN ITS MATERNAL, INFANT, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING (MIECHV) PROGRAM TO REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY, PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND ENSURE SCHOOL READINESS FOR HIGH-RISK FAMILIES. THE PROJECT SERVES PREGNANT WOMEN AND FAMILIES FROM BIRTH TO KINDERGARTEN ENTRY USING EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS: PARENTS AS TEACHERS (PAT) AND HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA (HFA). A DEFINING FEATURE OF THIS YEAR’S PROJECT IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSITION TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED KANSAS OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD (KOEC), WHICH WILL UNIFY HOME VISITING, CHILDCARE LICENSING, AND EARLY EDUCATION INTO ONE FAMILY-CENTERED STATE OFFICE. FUNDING WILL SUPPORT THE MATURATION OF REGIONAL HUBS, WORKFORCE WELLBEING, AND FURTHER PROGRAM EXPANSION INTO HIGH-NEED REGIONS. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: - KANSAS’ MIECHV PROJECT IS GUIDED BY THE FOLLOWING GOALS: - CENTRALIZE EARLY CHILDHOOD GOVERNANCE: TRANSITION MIECHV OPERATIONS TO THE KOEC TO DEEPEN INTEGRATION WITHIN THE BROADER EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEM. - STRENGTHEN REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE: MATURE THE "HUB" MODEL IN SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST KANSAS TO ADDRESS HIGH-NEED RURAL AREAS. - IMPROVE SYSTEM NAVIGATION: UTILIZE THE RESOURCE CONNECTION PILOT TO STRENGTHEN UHV-TO-MIECHV REFERRAL PATHWAYS. - ENHANCE SERVICE QUALITY: LEVERAGE DATA-DRIVEN REPORTS AND PARTICIPATION IN THE POSTPARTUM WELL-BEING COIIN TO IMPROVE FAMILY OUTCOMES. - SUPPORT WORKFORCE SUSTAINABILITY: EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS AND RETENTION INCENTIVES BASED ON HOME VISITOR WELLBEING DATA. KEY OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: - SCALE INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION AT THE NEW RUSSELL CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (RCDC) HUB IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS. - DEVELOP A STANDARDIZED LIA ONBOARDING TOOLKIT TO STREAMLINE FUTURE EXPANSIONS. - MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL AND FISCAL CONTINUITY DURING THE TRANSITION FROM KDHE TO KOEC BY JULY 1, 2026. - IMPLEMENT NEW DATA QUALITY AND ENGAGEMENT REPORTS TO REFINE PERFORMANCE MONITORING. APPROACH: HUBS: KANSAS UTILIZES A REGIONAL HUB MODEL TO DELIVER HFA AND PAT SERVICES THROUGH LOCAL IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES (LIAS). THIS MODEL KEEPS MANAGEMENT LOCAL, REDUCING STATE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN WHILE INCREASING REGIONAL COLLABORATION. CURRENT LIAS AND REGIONAL HUBS: - GREENBUSH (SOUTHEAST KANSAS HUB: SERVES 14 COUNTIES. (MODEL PAT, CASELOAD 284). - RUSSELL CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SOUTHWEST KANSAS HUB: OUR NEWEST LEAD AGENCY, CURRENTLY BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE TO SERVE 17 HIGH-NEED COUNTIES (MODEL PAT, CASELOAD 160). WYANDOTTE COUNTY LIAS: SERVICES IN WYANDOTTE COUNTY ARE PROVIDED THROUGH INDIVIDUAL LIAS: - KCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS (USD 500)(MODEL PAT, CASELOAD 90) - TURNER (USD 202)(MODEL PAT, CASELOAD 67) - UNIFIED GOVERNMENT OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY (MODEL HFA, CASELOAD 117) FY 2026 PRIORITIES: EXPANSION WILL FOCUS ON DATA-DRIVEN "COMMUNITY READINESS" TO IDENTIFY NEW SERVICE SITES. THE STATE WILL ALSO CONTINUE ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH JUNIPER GARDENS FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (QI) INITIATIVES, FOCUSING ON POSTPARTUM WELLBEING AND DOCUMENTING "LESSONS LEARNED" FROM THE RCDC ONBOARDING TO CREATE A BLUEPRINT FOR FUTURE GROWTH. MATCHING FUNDS: KANSAS UTILIZES STATE MATCH FUNDING FROM THE KANSAS CHILDREN’S CABINET. THESE INVESTMENTS, SUSTAINED BY TOBACCO SETTLEMENT FUNDS FOR OVER TWO DECADES, SUPPORT THE STATE-LEAD PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAM. AS MIECHV TRANSITIONS TO THE KOEC, THESE MATCH FUNDS WILL BE EVEN MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE FEDERAL GRANT, AS BOTH WILL EVENTUALLY SIT WITHIN THE SAME UNIFIED STATE OFFICE. KANSAS HAS CONSISTENTLY MET ITS MATCH REQUIREMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THESE FUNDS TO MAXIMIZE SERVICE REACH AND PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY. SERVICES IN WYANDOTTE COUNTY ARE PROVIDED THROUGH INDIVIDUAL LIAS: - KCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS (USD 500)(MODEL PAT, CASELOAD 90) - TURNER (USD 202)(MODEL PAT, CASELOAD 67) - UNIFIED GOVERNMENT OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY (MODEL HFA, CASELOAD 117) EXPANSION WILL FOCUS ON DATA-DRIVEN "COMMUNITY READINESS" TO IDENTIFY NEW SERVICE SITES.